State still in preparation stage to fight virus: Mukul

SHILLONG: Opposition Leader, Mukul Sangma is of the opinion that the state is is still in preparation and not in the mitigation stage in its fight against COVID-19.
The statement came from Sangma a day after the state saw ugly scenes when two localities of Jhalupara and Nongpoh opposed the cremation of the state’s first COVID-19 patient.
“Wednesday’s incident showed that the state was still in preparation stage, and not the mitigation stage,” Sangma said.
Asking the State Government to create massive awareness about COVID-19 during this period of lockdown, he also suggested that the quarantine period should at least be for 40 days saying the present prescription of 14 days was not enough since the behaviour of the virus was yet to be fully comprehended.
On the source of transmission of the virus to the first COVID-19 victim, he said the government has to look for various sources including silent carriers even as he asked the government to follow the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in the present scenario.
Appreciating the efforts of the Assam government in containing the spread of the virus, the former chief minister expressed concern over the lack of complete understanding about the virus. However, he also said there was no complete knowledge as yet about the novel coronavirus.
He said that the lack of awareness was manifested in Wednesday’s incident where people in two different places denied a place for burial/cremation of the mortal remains of the state’s first COVID-19 victim.
“Having no communication, having not understood…there’s general panic and apprehension, which is not based on scientific inputs. If this continues, it will only cripple us
in our war against the virus,” Mukul stated.
The former chief minister also asked the government to address the concerns faced by frontline workers else there could be problems.
On people from the state who are still stranded outside, he said the government should do more for them even as he appealed not to stigmatise frontline workers and patients as the virus does not differentiate.